Halloween is almost here! Are you dressing up this year? Whether you’re attending a virtual Halloween party from your Austin student apartment, or you’re just watching The Nightmare Before Christmas and other spooky flicks in your Halloween finest, now is the time to put your costume together, if you haven’t already! After all, just because you’re social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the spirit of the holiday! Luckily, if you’re not already prepared, there are plenty of costumes you can throw together last minute with just what you’ve got lying around at your Austin student apartment. Keep reading for inspiration!
Cat Out of the Bag
Cat costumes are popular for Halloween, and not just because black cats are spooky and cute. Any cat costume is pretty easy—just grab some cat ears, or make some yourself out of a headband and some construction paper or felt cut into rounded triangles. Then draw some whiskers on your face with a bit of makeup or even magic marker in a pinch (just make sure it’s not permanent marker).
To make this a punny “cat out of the bag” costume, just tape a paper bag to your shirt and you’re good to go.
If you’re going to be within 6 feet of other people while wearing this costume, an all-black cotton face mask with white whiskers on the front makes an excellent on-theme addition.
Iron Chef
If you’ve got an apron or a chef’s hat, you can throw together an Iron Chef costume. There are two easy ways to go about this. This first is to bring a clothes’ iron with you (we recommend strapping it to a cord or belt of some kind so you don’t have to hold it in your hands all evening). The second is to simply cut out the letters “Fe” (the atomic symbol for iron) and affix them to your costume. For bonus points, add a spatula, wooden spoon, oven mitts, or other kitchen tools you’ve got lying around your Austin student apartment.
Ghost
Ghost costumes are ubiquitous for a reason! All you need is a white sheet, tablecloth, or other fabric you’re willing to cut some holes into, or that’s thin enough to see through already. If you don’t already have some, you can easily pick up a used tablecloth or white sheets at a thrift store for a few dollars. We recommend also using a belt of some kind just to keep the sheet where you want it, otherwise, you’ll be adjusting the fabric all night long.
If you prefer, you can also easily turn your ghost costume into a punny ghostwriter costume by adding a notepad and pen to the ensemble. What could be easier?
Chip On Your Shoulder
You may have noticed that many of the costumes on this list revolve around puns, and this one’s no exception. Literally all you need for this costume is a bag of chips and something to stick it to your shoulder with, like a large rubber band or some duct tape. And as a bonus, you’ve got a built-in snack if you get hungry. Perfection.
Scarecrow
All you need to be a scarecrow is a pair of denim jeans or overalls, a flannel shirt, and some black eyeliner or face paint (again, a magic marker also works in a pinch, just make sure it’s washable). A stitched smile, patch nose, and blush marks are easy to paint on your face, even without much practice, or you can let the face mask do the work by buying a themed mask ahead of time or adding the patchwork nose and stitched mouth to one you already have. For bonus points, patches can be cut out of extra fabric or even paper and added to your clothing. A wide-brimmed hat will go a long way too. For even more bonus points, grab some paper straws or cut out paper strips and attach them to a hair tie or rubber band, then wear around your wrists and ankles to approximate your scarecrow’s straw filling.
That’s it for our last-minute Halloween costumes! Hopefully one of these is perfect for you. If you appreciated this post and would like to see more of our tips, recommendations, and features, be sure to bookmark our blog page for easy access to future posts! And make sure you’re following us on Instagram so you stay in the know about special offers and community updates for future residents of our new student apartments in Austin.